Systems and methods for providing a client-side configurable graphical control element framework

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a client-side configurable graphical control element framework are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system may include a client device that may execute a user interface and a data services component in communication with the client device and a data source. The user interface may retrieve a graphical control element configuration file and may transmit a request for data, including a metric identifier, to the data services component. The data services component may retrieve a data services configuration file for the metric identifier, and may request data from the data source based on the data services configuration file. The data services component receives data from the data source and formats the data according to the data services configuration file. The user interface may receive the formatted data and represent the data as a graphical control element according to the graphical control element configuration file.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for displaying data in a configurable graphical control element, comprising:
 receiving, at a user interface executed by a client device comprising at least one computer processor, a graphical control element configuration file specifying one or more chart types for presenting data, alias names for at least one real database column to be retrieved, a data source to be queried, and a data access services component to perform the query; 
 the user interface transmitting, to the data services component, a request for data comprising a metric identifier, wherein the metric identifier identifies a data services configuration file that identifies specific data to be retrieved; wherein the specific data to be retrieved includes the at least one real database column; wherein the graphical control element configuration file is executed on a client side to retrieve the specific data stored on a server side; 
 the user interface receiving, from the data services component, data responsive to the request for data; 
 the user interface representing the received data as a graphical control element according to the graphical control element configuration file; wherein the user interface represents the received data so that the real database columns are not displayed; 
 modifying the graphical control element configuration file to specify a new chart type; 
 automatically updating the graphical control element based on the modified graphical control element configuration file without the user interface transmitting a new request for data. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical control element configuration file comprises a title and at least one chart label. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request for data further comprises at least one of a resource identifier and a range parameter. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metric identifier further identifies a format for the data. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises a browser executed by the client device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface receives, from the data services component, data from multiple data sources, and wherein the user interface represents the received data from multiple data sources, according to the graphical control element configuration file, so that the data from multiple data sources is displayed in one column with at least one of the alias names as a title of the one column. 
     
     
       7. A system for displaying data in a configurable graphical control element, comprising:
 a client device comprising at least one computer processor and executing a user interface; and 
 a data services component in communication with the client device and at least one data source; 
 wherein:
 the user interface retrieves a graphical control element configuration file specifying one or more chart types for presenting data, alias names for at least one real database column to be retrieved, a data source to be queried, and the data access services component to perform the query; 
 the user interface transmits a request for data comprising a metric identifier to the data services component, wherein the metric identifier identifies a data services configuration file that identifies specific data to be retrieved; wherein the specific data to be retrieved includes the at least one real database column; wherein the graphical control element configuration file is executed on a client side to retrieve the specific data stored on a server side; 
 the data services component retrieves a data services configuration file associated with the metric identifier and requests data from the at least one data source based on the data services configuration file; 
 the data services component receives data from the at least one data source and formats the data according to the data services configuration file; and 
 the user interface receives the formatted data and represents the data as a graphical control element according to the graphical control element configuration file; 
 wherein the user interface represents the received data so that the real database columns are not displayed; 
 the user interface receives a modification to the graphical control element configuration file to specify a new chart type; 
 the user interface automatically updates the graphical control element based on the modified graphical control element configuration file without the user interface transmitting a new request for data. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the user interface comprises a browser. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the graphical control element configuration file comprises a title and at least one chart label. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the request for data further comprises at least one of a resource identifier and a range parameter. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the data services component comprises a controller layer that interfaces with the user interface, a data access layer that interfaces with the at least one data source, and a view builder layer that routes the request from the controller layer to the data access layer. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the view builder layer further formats the data received from the data access layer according to the data services configuration file and provides the formatted data to the controller layer.